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May 21st, 2018 13:00

390, CPU upgrade

Hello everybody,

I have a MINI TOWER Dell Optiplex 390 with Core i3 2120. I want to upgrade my CPU but I was not able to find the compatible CPU's. The following are the information that you might need to help me out.

Chipset Intel(R) 6 Series/C200 Series

BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A11, 10/14/2013 

Here is a link to Crucial.com with my RAM and SSD

Even though on this website it says that my chipset is H61, it is not, because if it was it would accept Intel core i7-3370, or Intel core i5-3570. Please let me know if you need any other info for more clarification.

Thank you everybody

Community Manager

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55.2K Posts

May 21st, 2018 13:00

 

The 2011 Optiplex 390 uses the Dell OEM Intel H61 Express chipset. This is not the same as the retail Intel H61 Express chipset.

The fasted CPU validated by Dell for the Optiplex 390 and our OEM BIOS was =
PN40G i5-2400,3.10GHz,4C,Sandy Bridge,D2

May 14th, 2019 00:00

The max CPU upgrade is actually an I7-2600k. I personally have an I5-2500 + 16GB of RAM in my Optiplex 390, so don't go with what Dell says is your max upgrade; they want you to buy a new computer, not upgrade your existing one.

4 Operator

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6.2K Posts

May 14th, 2019 03:00

Welcome to the Dell Community  @Mewcatchew 

What would you say about the i7-2700K???

They both have the same TDP (95W) and Stepping (D2)???

Although the originals TDP  is (65W) and Stepping is (Q0)!!!

http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Core_i3/i3-2120.html

Best regards,

U2

May 16th, 2019 07:00


@U2CAMEB4ME wrote:

Welcome to the Dell Community  @Mewcatchew 

What would you say about the i7-2700K???

They both have the same TDP (95W) and Stepping (D2)???

Although the originals TDP  is (65W) and Stepping is (Q0)!!!

http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Core_i3/i3-2120.html

Best regards,

U2


The i7-2700k won't work in the 390. The fastest CPU that can be confirmed (from my research anyway) is an i7-2600K.

November 20th, 2019 11:00

You're obviously lying, the maximum ram supported is 8GBS of ram.

4 Operator

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6.2K Posts

November 20th, 2019 12:00

Welcome to the Dell Community  @Nintendo_Man 

He may be incorrect but I don't think hes lying.

I still think the i7-2700K will work but I do not have one to test so I can't say if it will or won't work.

You do not say "will work" or "won't work" unless you tested it or have first hand knowledge.

As far as the memory it is very possible that 16GB can be installed.

The CPU and Memory Bus can handle it.

If it had 4 memory slots it would be able to handle 32GB.

Best regards,

U2

1 Message

December 31st, 2019 08:00

Can confirm the 16GB capacity, I have several of these machines in service some with 8GB, one with 12GB and another with 16GB. Just make sure that you update to the latest BIOS release (A14) and you are good to go.

2 Intern

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167 Posts

December 31st, 2019 12:00

The 2700k is a gamble. If Dell had upgraded the latest rev of BIOS to recognize the 2700k in the 390, then you might have a winner. This however, is not user info that they just hand out. You can read through the BIOS release notes of all the versions, and if you see a note that is something like "cpu microcode update", then there might be support for the later versions.

So you can take the gamble if you wish, but I'd say stick with the 2600k if you don't want to possibly fail.

The gains will be miniscule between the 2600k and the 2700k. My guess is that the 2700k is just a revision of the 2600k with some rebadging and HD3000 onboard graphics.

As for RAM capabilities and capacities, this is more CPU dependent than Motherboard dependent, except for the physical slots. The memory controller is on the CPU die and so, in a lot of use cases, the motherboard chipset shouldn't limit the capacity of memory per module. 8GB of DDR3 @ 1333Mhz should be supported just fine in each available slot. 

Timings can be temperamental though, so get some compatible Hynix Unregistered Non-ECC sticks from wherever you prefer.

1 Message

January 1st, 2020 22:00

the socket of these optiplex 390 is lga 1155 and the i7 3770 is compatible with that socket could be put? or what bios supports this processor

1 Message

January 27th, 2020 12:00

I own 2 390's and I can confirm they support 16gb RAM and also support Sandy Bridge Xeons such as E3 1230 or E3 1240 with the latest BIOS update. These can be picked up on the used market for considerably cheaper than an i7 2600 and is basically the same performance. Just make sure you have a dedicated GPU with the Xeons as they don't have integrated graphics like the i3. i5, i7.

They do NOT, as far as I can tell, support Ivy bridge CPUs. Sandy Bridge only

3 Posts

January 27th, 2020 18:00

Hey All!

I have an Optiplex 390 with an i5-2400 cpu, 16 Gigs of memory and SSD drives. I recently installed an i7-2600k cpu. When I go to power on the computer with the 2600K, the power comes on, then quickly shuts off. When I put the i5 cpu back in, the computer boots up.

Fiwi... I did alot of the things suggested in another post. Even put in a brand new lithium cell battery though the one in there was still good. Still, the computer would not power up with the 2600K cpu..

My power supply is a 500W unit, so enough to handle a 2600K cpu.

I was wondering if anyone on the forum is in fact actually running an i7-2600K on their Optiplex 390 mobo? If so, how did you get it to work?

I was also wondering if there is not enough power going to the LGA1155 socket to power the 2600K? Is there a way to send more power to the socket for that cpu? And, could that be the reason for the 2600K not allowing the computer to power up?

Fwiw... I can exchange the 2600K with a 2600 (1st gen) cpu, but wanted to see if there any way to get the 2600K to work with this specific mobo.

Any help would be greatly appreciated; esp., if you are actually running an i7-2600K on your Optiplex 390 mobo.

Many thanks to the community in advance!

 

4 Operator

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6.2K Posts

January 28th, 2020 03:00

Welcome to the Dell Community  @chazcor 

It should work unless it is defective???

That CPU "i7-2600k" has a 97% success rate when upgrading from the "i5-2400"

http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Core_i5/i5-2400.html

The same "TDP" and "Stepping"!!!

So power is not an issue!!!

Best regards,

U2

1 Message

April 13th, 2020 15:00

Hi did you manage to get the i7 2600k to work as I also want to upgrade my optiplex's cpu and if so how well does it run? 

Thanks

1 Message

June 18th, 2020 04:00

390 works with Xeon E3-1270 from aliexpress. 

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January 15th, 2021 16:00

Do you know if the intel e3 1220 will work with the 390

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